The Marvel of Mere | My Soho Times

Award-winning food writer, Kelly Gavaghan heads to Fitzrovia for a decadent encounter with food at Monica and David Galetti‘s contemporary restaurant and bar…

I remember  when MasterChef  first made its debut on the BBC back in 1990. Presented by Loyd Grossman it used to air on Sundays, and back in those days there were only four channels and the pub closed after lunchtime so curling up on the sofa to watch an episode of MasterChef was pretty much all that was on offer. But needless to say, myself, like the rest of the nation, soon became hooked on the weekly cooking competition.

Fast forward to 2009 and Monica Galletti became the first professional female chef presenter of the much-loved programme, now moved to a prime-time slot on the BBC. Immediately I was intrigued by the Samoan born chef, who at the time was senior sous chef at La Gavroche where she was the first woman to ever hold that position. She clearly had the admiration and respect of her peers in – let’s face it – a predominantly male industry. Her on screen presence was and still is refreshing and I take my hat off to her for being such a trailblazer within the highly competitive restaurant industry.

It was while at La Gavroche that she met, fell in love with and married head sommelier, David Galletti and in 2017 the husband-and-wife team launched their very own restaurant; Mere (pronounced Meri) in Fitzrovia. With David’s extensive knowledge of fine wines and Monica’s Michelin level cooking and high profile surely this would be a recipe for success? Well, eager to find out, the perfect opportunity presented itself as my husband’s birthday was on the horizon so, I booked us in for the works, the tasting menu with wine flight.

And how was it?

Usually with a tasting menu there is a dish that perhaps doesn’t set your world alight but with this menu there wasn’t a single one that we didn’t love. Our starter of potato and butternut squash terrine came prettily presented with polka dots of white sour Greek yoghurt and tangy, tart tamarind and with a side of sweet velvety black chestnut puree. The texture of the terrine was just right, with the lightest ‘bite’ to it and it was wonderful to see the humble ingredients elevated into something so special. This was a really good start to the meal.

Hand dived scallops are good for the environment and are better quality than the farmed variety. Whenever I eat out, if there are scallops on the menu, I order them, so I was pleased as punch to see them on the tasting menu at Mere. The perfectly seared sweet and tender scallops were served with a slow cooked French ragout of buttery white cannellini beans and herby, nutty black pudding with sweet potato, celeriac and pickled celery. Honestly, this dish was so moreish I could have eaten it ten times over.

Onto the fish course. Pollock is from the cod family but because its oil content is higher it’s somewhat more flavoursome. The fish came dressed in garlicky pil pil sauce which originates from the Basque country and is such a dreamy accompaniment with pretty much any seafood. This dish transported me right back to tavernas, tapas and Spanish summer holidays.

The dish came with fresh steamed baby spinach and tapioca crisps which really didn’t taste of much, but did add texture and was decorated with dusky, divine black garlic rouille pearls

Shorthorn beef is renowned for its marbling which caramalises and tenderises the meat when cooked, so much so it is like slicing through butter. This was an absolutely superb piece of meat, classically complemented with the earthy nuttiness of wild mushrooms and a delightful citrusy quince puree.

Now onto the cheese course. This dish was out of this world! The 24-month aged Davidstow Cheddar mousse atop the sweet syrupy fig compote was sublime – to say the least – and we both agreed that this was our favourite dish of the whole meal.

And last but certainly not least the meal was topped off with Monica’s take on her favourite Kiwi dessert of Hokey Pokey, vanilla and honeycomb ice cream. Served with slightly bitter Madagascan Manjari chocolate cremeaux and salted toffee this dessert was the perfect end to the perfect meal.

What’s it like there?

The beautiful interiors were created by award winning architecture and design company, Softroom who have achieved a calm, welcoming environment. At ground level the bar is furnished with plush velvet midnight blue seating and marble topped tables and downstairs the subterranean restaurant benefits from lots of natural light from the glass atrium.

Along the main wall is a framed Samoan siapa or tapa cloth which was specially designed and made for Monica by her cousin Solomon Daniel. The décor is stylish and elegant and makes for a relaxed and refined dining experience.

What you should know

I don’t pretend to be a connoisseur of fine wines and normally when I’m reviewing, I tend not to drink alcohol, but this was a special occasion. And with David Galletti being such an expert we just knew that the wines at Mere would more than match the high standards of the food. David has curated a well-rounded, full-bodied list made up of much-loved wines from Europe and beyond, including a reserve selection of vintages. The premium spirits have also been carefully chosen by David and are predominantly from France and New Zealand which is a deliberate nod to and acknowledgment of the dynamic duo’s respective heritages.

Would we go back?

Absolutely! I’d very much like to try the 3-course set lunch menu (£36) and some of the dishes on the A La Carte menu. The food is incredibly good value considering the outstanding skill and excellent quality produce that they are created with. But seriously, we expected nothing less…. Monica’s Mere really is a marvel!

Written by Kelly Gavaghan | Photos courtesy of Mere

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This article was originally published in the Spring issue of My Soho Times magazine.

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